Berry General Store – cafe by day turned delicious dinner destination and performance space by night. Photos: Holly McGuinness.
Once a sleepy South Coast village, Berry has become a tourist mecca attracting hordes of day-trippers.
As locals, we love sharing our special part of the South Coast, but something many haven’t caught on to is that by only spending the day, they’re missing an exciting, energetic shift that happens outside the weekend.
With a dedicated team of locals realising this, the challenge has been accepted to “Extend the Weekend” as part of a NSW Government push to grow regional economies.
Berry has become a prime example of what happens when regional towns look beyond the day trip.
Six girlfriends and I took it upon ourselves to experience it all and being from here, we had the insider info on the best itinerary to adopt.
Take off Friday and Monday and you’ve got a long weekend worth every minute. We went full wellness weekend and left our accommodation feeling rested, revitalised and ready to take on the remaining week ahead.
Greta Cottage is close to the heart of town and perfect for a long weekend.
Where we stayed
Greta Cottage is quite literally a minute’s walk from the main street and a beautifully restored 1920s, four-bedroom home on a quiet corner block.
What was previously a run-down, weathered building now stands as an enchanting heritage-style home, perfect for a girls’ long weekend. It’s fitted out with a spa, generous deck and landscaped gardens designed entirely for doing nothing in, just admiring the view with a cup of tea in hand. Upon our arrival, we felt the emotional reset kick in pretty quickly, ready for the fun ahead.
Thursday evening: The Berry General Store
Our first stop and the kickoff for the live performances we enjoyed over the weekend was The Berry General Store, a venue tucked away in the back streets but just about always heaving with energy.
It’s a cafe by day that turns into a delicious dinner destination by night. Leon Holstegge and Harry Cooper played as a duo, improvising jazz standards and blues-infused originals. A couple of bottles of Pinot Grigio, cheese platters spread across the table and we were very happy to sip and dance the evening away.
Berry local Rachelle Munro leads a breathwork class that sets the tone for a relaxing long weekend.
Friday: Wellness and retail therapy
A near-out-of-body experience at a breathwork class with local Rachelle Munro set the tone for the day.
Rachelle set herself up in the warmth of the Greta Cottage lounge room and led an hour of breathwork that I was sure I didn’t need until it was over. Tears were shed, and whole-body shivers were felt, as it came to a close in the best way possible.
Essentially, this was 60 minutes of intentionally slowing down in a world that’s meant to move quickly and my favourite part was taking space to write down something we wanted to let go of. For me, it was work stress and a reminder of how much I needed this weekend.
Berry is great for some real retail therapy … (from left) Honey Coast and Country, Few & Far and The Berry Barn.
In the afternoon, we wandered Berry’s exceptionally good and diverse shops. They give us locals a great variety of options to go gift shopping, finding pieces that have been so carefully curated by the stores’ passionate owners.
Starting at The Berry Barn, channelling an inner cowgirl, trying on Akubras and the latest R M Williams boots, we then meandered about the town.
We stopped into Maison on Main, Haven & Space, Bliss & Co, Honey Coastal Country, the Berry Tea Shop and Flavours of Shoalhaven, filling out the rest of the afternoon and leaving our pockets much lighter.
The tasty and wonderful results of our cooking class at Carramar Kitchen, including fresh ceviche, hand-pressed corn tortillas, street tacos with guacamole and salsa. Below: The girls enjoy their pineapple and charred jalapeño margaritas.
Saturday: Carramar Kitchen
Justine and Scott Whitney of Carramar Kitchen run a cooking class I cannot recommend highly enough. We made everything from scratch: fresh ceviche, hand-pressed corn tortillas, street tacos with guacamole and salsa – learning techniques I’ll be impressing guests with for years.
Partway through, their daughter Clare shook up pineapple and charred jalapeño margaritas that were maybe the best I’ve ever had. Sitting down to share the food after we’d spent four hours laughing and cooking together was the highlight of the weekend.
Sunday: Il Locale + The Great Southern Hotel
The weekend wound down perfectly, starting with a long lunch at Il Locale.
Jr & The Jewel Tones opened with an infectious swing sound before Frank Sultana, one of Australia’s most celebrated modern blues musicians, took the courtyard. By the end, most patrons were out of their seats and dancing, with work the next day a distant thought.
The Great Southern Hotel then sealed the weekend with Tyler Hauptberger’s warm blues set, followed by Tall Shaun & The Resolution closing out the long weekend with high-energy blues and soul.
Il Locale perform at The Great Southern Hotel.
What’s Next: Extend the Weekend in May
There’s a new theme across the next Extend the Weekend from 21 to 24 May, as indie acts light up the town.
Sam Allen plays The Rutledge, Jimmy Vann takes the Great Southern Hotel, and Jack Willis closes out Thursday night at Le Bar. Sunday 24 May showcases a whole new line-up across town. Each weekend brings a new theme and artists, the perfect reason to take Friday and Monday off.
Click here for more information and performance details for Extend the Weekend from 21 to 24 May and how you can win a stay in Berry.
